Problems with mask.

Hi. I am new here from south Ontario and this site was listed in my booklets from the hospital so I thought I would see what it is all about. This is my first post. One of my issues is about my sleep apnea mask. Is there a  way to make it stop hurting my face? When I tighten it so that the air doesn't come out it ends up feeling like there's too much pressure on my face like the mask is making an indent and it hurts. If I loosen it then the air leaks. I just can't win lol. Any suggestions on how to counteract this? The mask material causes an allergic reaction on my face. Anybody have this problem too?

Talk with your sleep clinic on Monday  - or with the group that fitted your mask.     There are many different types of masks.   I preferred the ones that were more like a pillows that sit against your nose.   I had to use a chin strap (cloth with velcro) to make sure I didn't open my mouth  -  but I found using those nasal pillows was much more comfortable than a full on mask. 

Learning to sleep with a machine is challenging - just keep sticking with it.   Once you get used to it - you'll feel better. 

Hello. Yes I also have the nasal mask with the pillow type material. I noticed that when I wake up my mouth is usually dry which indicates to me that I must sleep with my mouth open but I could not handle wearing a chin strap. Too constrictive for me and it is bas enough having to wear the mask part. Yes I think I will mention this problem to the health care staff. I have been sleeping with a c-pap machine for 15 years and I have always had this problem with the masks that I have had to wear in the past. My skin is very sensitive.

Hello there! I have been on a CPAP for about 3 1/2 years. When I first got the mask it covered from the bridge of my nose down under my mouth, I had the same issue as you. If I tightened it so it didnt leak it hurt. I talked to my sleep dr and he gave me a new mask that has the nasal cushions and a mouth cushion as well since I am an open mouth breather. I would suggest seeing if theres a diff mask you can try. GL

I have found that if I put some cream on my face just before I go to bed, the rubber seal seems to stick better to my face and I don't have the air leakage, also making sure that you wash you mask and seal every day.  The dead skin cells seem to stick to the seal and it will not adhere to your face as well.

I also had trouble with the mask, then switched to the nasal pillows.  Much better.

I use the nasal pillows since I am claustrophobic and even the idea of a full mask panicked me. I trained myself to sleep with my mouth closed over just a few days to avoid using a chin strap.

Before bedtime, I would sit up and read in bed for awhile with my mask on so I could catch myself if my mouth opened. Fairly quickly, I learned to quickly close my mouth if the air pressure changed. I would experiment with opening and closing my mouth when I lay down to sleep to feel how much better the machine worked when my mouth was closed.  Only took about 3 days to get the hang of it.

Having the machine set to "ramp up" over 15-20 minutes really helped. It started the air pressure on low and I was asleep before it was at full pressure.  Much easier transition!